Geneva, Switzerland – September 21, 2026 – The ceramic artwork created by Venerable Yang Li was exhibited at the 2026 WTO Public Forum, as a key piece of the “New Vitality of Craftsmen’s Heritage · China Chic” Exhibition under the Chinese cultural series Opportunity China: Exploring and Sharing the Future.
Venerable Yang Li；Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala，Director-General of the World Trade Organization（WTO）；Xiangchen Zhang, Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
The tea-ware set “Huihu” carries the core Chan meaning of interpenetration. It embodies that principle and phenomena rely on each other, and nothing exists alone in the world. Originally designed by Venerable Yang Li, the work blends profound Chan philosophy with practical tea-making aesthetics.
The tea-ware set “Huihu”
The five tea cups with five different colors visualize the Five Ranks teaching of the Caodong School of Chan Buddhism. One cup stands for emptiness, while the rest represent diverse worldly forms. The craft combines Chinese raw lacquer and porcelain glaze, mixing intangible cultural heritage with modern design. Chinese raw lacquer is refined from natural lacquer tree sap, with artisans applying layered coating and repeated polishing to achieve exquisite texture. The work interprets the spirit of Chan tea culture, summarized as Upright, Pure, Harmonious and Elegant. It conveys the core connotations of Chan tea etiquette: gratitude, tolerance, sharing and human connection.
The exhibition was held at WTO Geneva Headquarters from September 15 to 17, hosted by relevant Chinese official institutions and undertaken by Wuzhou International Communication Center.
About Caodong Buddhist Academy:
Nestled at the ancestral home of the Caodong School—Cao Shan Baoji Temple in Jiangxi—Caodong Buddhist Academy is a state-accredited undergraduate Buddhist institution. Integrating rigorous Chan practice with modern pedagogy, it offers specialized programs in meditation, precepts, Buddhist health preservation, and Buddhist art, bridging ancient monastic traditions with contemporary innovation.
Media ContactCompany Name: Caodong Buddhist Academy, ChinaContact Person: LucieEmail: Send EmailCountry: ChinaWebsite: https://www.caodongfoxueyuan.cn/
